[Title] gone fishing
[Artist] Jon Kessler
[Date] July 21 – September 20, 2005
For children, July is the month when summer vacation begins. Reflecting the feeling of summer vacation, the window expresses the topic of “fishing” as part of Hermès’ theme, “As the river flows” The front right window depicts the moment when products, swimming like fish, are captured by a hook. The “fish” are the 2005 Fall/Winter collection, the second ladies’ prêt-a-porter designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier.
In the front left window, there is a man in his fifties or sixties dressed like an artist, standing in the middle of the water and looking above. In this window, he is the fish. He seems to be fascinated by the lure which moves up and down, yet is resisting the bait so as not to be fished out of water. In the place of the fly are in fact watches and bracelets, by which he is enamored. In the small windows are also “flies” à la Hermès. It is a playful window, suitable for the theme of the flow of the river.
The artist in charge of this window is Jon Kessler, marking his third collaboration with Hermès. The reason why Kessler chose “fishing” as a motif derives from his own childhood memories of going fishing in the river. Like the two previous windows, this window unfolds a scene which can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is also characteristic of Kessler to use a motor in creating movement in the window.
Fishing in nature allows us to forget our busy lives in the metropolis. We hope that we have provided a momentarily summer vacation for the passers-by, who walk past the window pressed with time. Perhaps, they would momentarily pause and smile with relief.
Jon Kessler
Born in New York in 1957, Jon Kessler is an artist and Chair of the Visual Arts Department of Columbia University’s School of the Arts. In 2004, Kessler held a solo exhibition at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in New York. Another solo exhibition at P.S.1 (New York) is planned for the fall of 2005.